Tie plate and rail holder



June 12, 1934. J, SUTINEN TIE PLATE AND RAIL HOLDER Filed Aug. 27, 1932 Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in railway tie plates and rail holders, and particularly to such applicable to ties of the type illustrated in my former Patent No. 1,697,935, dated Jan. 8th, 1929.

The principal object of my present invention isto provide a more practical union between the rail and tie.

Another object is to provide such a connection free from liability of dislodgment from the tie longitudinally of the rail and yet readily adjustable longitudinally of the tie.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a fragmental portion of a tie equipped with the improved holding plate, showing one rail of a track in cross section and applied thereto and supported by the improved adjustable brace;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rail brace; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the holding clips.

The tie l is of metal and of substantially channel shape, laid in the trade on edge, and the lower face being preferably somewhat wider than the upper face or web. While I have illustrated the present invention as being applicable to such a tie, it is to be understood that the same may be employed in connection with other forms of metal ties.

The upper web of the tie is illustrated as having a pair of rectangularly shaped elongated 3 holes 2 therein for reception of the spikes in holding the rails and these holes are of sufficient length to provide for lateral adjustment of the rails when necessary, which will be described later.

Now it is well known that some cushioning element is essential between such a metal tie and the railroad rail, and for such purpose I provide a metal plate indicated at 3, the central portion of which is struck out forming a rectangular opening therein; the width thereof transverse the tie being equal to the width of the top of the tie, and the length of such opening being equal to the width of the base of the rail which it is intended to fit. The rail is illustrated at 4 and is of the common type, it being understood that for different sized rails differentplates would have to be provided unless engagement of the edges of the base of the rail with the spikes for holding same should be deemed sufficient. The flanges 5, struck up adjacent the ends of the plate for engagement with the sides of the rail base are divided as by the 'rectangularly shaped hole 6 therethrough, which hole is obviously for the reception of the rail spikes, while the flanges '7, struck downwardly from the plate adjacent the 535i side walls thereof, are for engagement upon either side of the tie so that the plate may be slid longitudinally of the tie for adjustment most conveniently, and it will be noted that the length of the flanges '7 are obviously equal to the distance between the inner edges of the flanges 5 before being struck from the plate.

Another features of the tie engaging flanges is to be noted in that they occur directly beneath the rail, thereby being materially protected from the elements and increasing the life and utility of same.

The spikes are illustrated at 8 and 9, the former preferably being of greater thickness than the latter and initially placed on the inner side of the rail, so that in the event of the inner edge of the bulb of either of the rails becoming worn as they do at times, particularly around curves, the plate may be turned end for end, bringing the thicker spike to the outside of the rail and when driven home will push the latter inwardly and thus reduce the gauge of the track, it being noted that the distance between the outermost extremities of the holes 2 in the tie is such as to properly guide the spikes for such adjustment. 90. As a keeper for the rail holding spikes I have illustrated a block of wood 20 placed within the channel of the tie and. held in position by two through bolts 21. Prior to driving the spikes into the block, doubtless holes would have been provided therein for the proper holding of the spikes, or some other form of holding means in lieu of the spikes may be used in connection with a modified form of tie, but without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As a cushioning means for the rail I have illustrated at 10 a relatively thin block of suitable wood or other material providing the necessary resiliency to the connection, and as is apparent may be readily changed or renewed as desired. This block is of a size to neatly fit into the rectangular opening in the plate and of a thickness to keep the rail materially above the plate when resting upon the top of the tie through said opening, thus providing an exceptionally long and dependable yieldable support for the rail, and one that may be readily adjusted for changing the gauge of the track. If this cushioning block is of wood it is essential that the same be placed so that the grain is parallel with the rail, thus permitting the flanges 5 to insure against splitting of the block and crumbling away by expansion or contraction in conjunction with the wear of same.

I have illustrated in conjunction with such form of resilient support, which necessitates such provision, an improved form of rail brace, it being a modification of that shown in my former Patent No. 1,715,434, dated June 4th, 1929. The brace is indicated at 11 and is of V shape as formerly, the apex here shown being pivotally attached as by a staple 12 through a suitable opening 13 provided therefore in the top of the tie. The arms of this brace reach upwardly towards the rail for engagement with same under the bulb, but in this instance I have shown the termini of the brace bent downwardly as at 14 so as to engage the web of the rail and thus make a more secure and durable contact therewith.

In practice it was found that the hooked holding bolt 15 which extends transverse the adjacent free ends of the brace for drawing same together would at times become loosened or spring objectionably away from its engagement with the brace, and to overcome which I have in this instance provided an extension 16 to the hooked washer 17 having a saddle like terminus 18 for straddling the bolt intermediate of the termini thereof so that the holding position thereof is thus adequately assured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A railway tie plate and rail holder comprising a metal plate having a rectangular opening therein, flanges extending upwardly from the innermost edges of the opening in said plate for engagement with the sides of the rail base, said plate and upstanding flanges being cut away forming openings for rail spikes and flanges extending downwardly from the innermost edges of the opening in said plate for engagement with the sides of the tie and centrally beneath the rail, and rail cushioning means within said opening.

2. A railway tie plate and rail holder comprising a metal plate having a rectangular opening therein, rail cushioning means within the opening, flanges extending upwardly from said plate for engagement with the sides of the rail base, said flanges and plate having holes extending therethrou'gh for the reception of rail spikes, said flanges being struck from the inner edges of the opening to engage the tie directly beneath the rail.

JOHN SUTINEN. 

